Contents of the EAJ.DOC file

Where options are: -wWINDOW_WIDTH for window widths between 1 and 78 -dDELAY_VALUE for delays between 0 and 500 -r to repeat a file continuously -rN_TIMES to repeat a file 1 to N times -s to stick display lines (-r ignored) -gCOLOR to go to CGA graphics with background color (0-15) -c to center display line on PC console -cN_DOWN to center console display N rows down -aCOLOR to set character color (1-15) (needs -c or -g too) -b to make the characters blink (needs -c option too) file or - is ASCII file or standard input

EXAMPLE: eaj -w25 -d2 -r5 -a2 -c25 NOTICE.TXT

DESCRIPTION The EAJ program is an animated character display generator, that takesa character file or input from a program and marches the characters acrossthe screen. It takes it's name from a fictitious advertisement where thewords EAT AT JOE'S catch the viewers attention. The display produced is notunlike the news displays produced on the Time/Life building in Times Square,New York City.

If options for console text mode or CGA graphics (-a or -g) are not usedEAJ does NOT REQUIRE GRAPHICS or ANSI.SYS, NANSI.SYS, FANSI CONSOLE ETC.!EAJ will use NO ANSI escape sequences and will work with any RS232 port device,COM or CON port. Nice for messages from a BBS SYSOP to a BBS caller.The output can also be saved in a file for later use.

Options for a centered console display window (-c), for color text (-a),blinking text (-b), and CGA graphics (-g) have been added in EAJ Version 2.0.These can be very useful as part of applications like INSTALL.BAT where EAJ'seye-catching display text brings the important parts of your procedureimmedaiately to the users attention just as you had intended. These options aredirected to the console monitor so naturally the ouput can't be saved in a fileas with the basic EAJ operation. Full CGA color support was added in 2.1!

Also added in EAJ Version 2.0 is the ability to have the display linemarch along repeatedly, either continuously (-r) or a specified number oftimes (eg. -r8).

The speed at which the characters move across the display is dependanton several factors. First is the speed of the PC the EAJ on which it is beingexecuted. Another factor is the device port, console devices should producefaster displays than COM ports running at 1200 baud. These two factors arenot easily controlled. However, by changing the width of the display windowor adding delays, one has some degree of control.

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EAJ OPTIONS If provided with no options, EAJ will produce a usage message. Where options are: -wWINDOW_WIDTH for window widths between 1 and 78 -dDELAY_VALUE for delays between 0 and 500 -r to repeat a file continuously -rN_TIMES to repeat a file 1 to N times -s to stick display lines (-r ignored) -gCOLOR to go to CGA graphics with background color (0-15) -c to center display line on PC console -cN_DOWN to center console display N rows down -aCOLOR to set character color (1-15) (needs -c or -g too) -b to make the characters blink (needs -c option too)

If last argument is a file name, [d:][path][filename], the displayproduced will be drawn from the ASCII file. If the last argument is the '-'character standard input, as in "dir | eaj -", will be used as the charactersource. Note that non-ASCII input will produce garbage output, as inGarbage In - Garbage Out. If you chose to take your standard input fromyour keyboard, like "eaj -", EAJ will march one line of input.

Arguments between the command name 'eaj' and the 'filename or -' are OPTIONSto alter the behavior of EAJ. Some of EAJ's options are directed to the consolemonitor (eg. -c, -a, -g, -b) and will not produce output that can be sent toRS232 ports or redirected to a file for later use.

WINDOW WIDTH: -wWINDOW_WIDTH for window widths between 1 and 78

This option is used to set the display window width. The width is the size ofof the display in characters as measured from the left side of the screen to thecolumn on the right where the characters emerge. The range is 1 to 78 (1 to 38when CGA graphics option '-g' is used). The default is 78 (38 with -g).EXAMPLE: eaj -w40 WARN.TXT

OUTPUT DELAYS: -dDELAY_VALUE for delays between 0 and 500 This argument adds a small delay (character generation/display time) to theanimated sequence to slow the output for better viewing. The default is 0.EXAMPLE: eaj -w25 -d30 NXT_SCN

STICKY DISPLAY: -s to stick display lines (-r ignored)

This option will halt the display line when the first character reaches theright boundary, line-feed to the next display row, and continue. This featureis nice for animated advertisements or for important procedure instructions,like .BAT files, where the information is to be left on the screen. (With the-g option the CGA grahics screen remains displayed until a keyboard key is hit.)Output is only as wide as your window width (1-78) so your input should matchthe width of your window.EXAMPLE: eaj -s -d1 -w55 READ.ME

REPEAT DISPLAY: -r to repeat a file continuously -rN_TIMES to repeat a file 1 to N times

This option allows you to march the display across the screen more than once.Without a number after the option (-r) EAJ will display the message again and

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again until a key is hit to tell EAJ this is the last time. If provided with anumber (eg. -r12), EAJ will repeat the display message that number of times.A CTRL-BREAK will halt EAJ. The -s option will cause -r to be ignored!EXAMPLE: eaj -r20 -w11 -d5 REMIND.DOC

CONSOLE ONLY DISPLAY: -c to center display line on PC console -cN_DOWN to center console display N rows down

This option notifies EAJ that output is to go to the console monitor and thedisplay window is to be centered on the screen (see -w option). The default isto produce a centered window on the current line (-c). If you supply EAJ with anumber between 1 and 25 (eg. -c11) the output of EAJ will be directed to theconsole at that line location as measured from the top of the display. (With the-g CGA graphics option, line numbers range from 1 to 16.)EXAMPLE: eaj -c14 -w48 -s NOTE.005

ATTRIBUTE FOR COLOR TEXT ON CONSOLE DISPLAY: -aCOLOR to set character color (1-15) (needs -c or -g too)

To make the EAJ display characters in other colors combine -c option with the-a option. If you supply the -a option with a number from 1 to 15 the color ofthe EAJ display characters on color monitors will be as follows (with no -g):

If EAJ determines that the current background color is the same as the charactercolor you have selected with the -a option, EAJ will use the WHITE charactercolor instead. The default character color is WHITE.CONSOLE TEXT MODE EXAMPLE: eaj -c3 -s -a14 SOLONG.TXT

If you use the -a option with the -g CGA graphics option the graphics charactercolor will be as follows (with -g option):

This option can be used to display your EAJ message in large letters on a CGA320x200 screen. NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE A CGA (color graphics adapter) HARDWARE INYOUR PC FOR THIS OPTION. The maximum display window (-w) is 38 and the numberof lines in the display (-c) is 16.

If you do not supply the -g option with a number the background color is BLACK.By including a number from 0 to 15 with the -g option (eg. -g11) the backgroundcolor can be changed. NEW: In EAJ Version 2.1 improvements to the CGA graphicscapability now produces a clear display in all -g color ranges (0 to 15) andcan be combined with any -a character color attribute value!(See the TEXT MODE CHARACTER TABLE in the -a option description for the back-ground color list.)

When using the -s option with the -g option the EAJ display will stop after allthe input text has been processed and wait for a key to be hit. When the key ishit the display will clear and EAJ will exit the CGA screen mode and return tonormal text mode.

If you do not specify a -c option to set the line where EAJ output is to bedisplayed, an EAJ: V2.0 title sceen will appear. Just use the the -c optionwith the -g option to bypass the title display.

CGA GRAPHICS EXAMPLE: eaj -g14 -c6 -a7 -r WELCOME.MSG

VERSION This is version 2.0.

NOTE on BBS UPLOAD Uploading this .ZIP to your local BBS is encouraged. I thank you foryour support.

EAJ is NOT an ANSI screen editor. SYSOP`s, please don't group EAJ withANSI screen editor uploads. It is not a BBS - SYSOP only, program either,since it has a wider variety of users than just BBS SYSOPS.

EXAMPLES type notes.txt | eaj -w30 -d100 -

eaj -s -c1 - < title.txt

EAJ C:/BBS/SYSOP/MSGS/GOODBYE.TXT -w55 -d60 >/DEV/COM1

dir | eaj -c -a14 -

See example.bat for a few others.

COMMENTS & THANKS This program can be used to add that special attention grabbing emphasisto your instruction procedures (eg. INSTALL.BAT), help faclities (eg.HELP.BAT), or other user interface faclities. The EAJ console text mode andCGA graphics mode options can make your .BAT procedures stand-out, as well as,making them easier to understand.

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This program has also been used to deliver "Greetings", "Todays-Mesage", or"Log-Out" messages by SYSOPS of PC BBS`s. I know you can think of other uses.

If you include this program with your shareware, as part of instruction orinstallation .BAT files for example; send me a note on what your SHAREwaredoes and how EAJ is being used. A donation would also be in order.

The use of EAJ in commercially sold software packages will require a writtenrequest on company letterhead stationary sent to me at the address shown below.Include all pertenent details including a return address and/or telephone numberwhere you can be reached.

If you find this program amusing, useful, or whatever else, I'd be interestedin hearing from you. So sit down and send me a note or several notes, in fact,(-: a $10 note would be nice :-):